What is NITARP? NITARP, the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive
Research Program, is a mechanism for getting authentic research
experiences ultimately into classrooms across the United States. We
partner scientists with (primarily) high school teachers, do a
research project, and the teachers incorporate the experience into
their classroom.
Who is doing this? The Spitzer Science Center
(SSC) and the NASA
Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC) (with help from the
National Optical Astronomy Observatory
(NOAO)) are leading this program. We select teachers from a
nation-wide selection process. We are using archival data from
the Spitzer Space
Telescope, the NASA/IPAC
Extragalactic Database (NED), the NASA/IPAC/NExScI Star and
Exoplanet Database (NStED), the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science
Archive (IRSA) and other NASA archive holdings.
What is the goal? This program has as its goals the
fundamental NASA goals of inspiring and motivating students to pursue
careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well
as to engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of
exploration and discovery. Our educational plan addresses the NASA
objectives of improving student proficiency in science and improving
science instruction by providing a unique opportunity for groups of
teachers and students (with the help of a mentor astronomer) to work
with professional astronomical archival data and tools. The research
team completes the data analysis, and presents their findings to
others throughout the scientific community. The teachers are also
expected to give presentations at relevant teachers' conferences.
Didn't this used to be called something else?
The original incarnation of this program was started in 2004 and
called the Spitzer Space Telescope Research Program for Teachers and
Students. Leveraging on a well-established teacher professional
development program, the SSC offered this program to teachers in the
Teacher
Leaders in Research Based Science Education (TLRBSE), an ongoing
program at the NOAO. This NSF-sponsored program touches the formal
education community through a national audience of well-trained and
supported middle and high school teachers. We had three rounds of
teacher selection and research projects. Starting in 2009, we got
new funding and a new name (NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research
Project -- NITARP).
How can I be involved? This program is aimed at high
school teachers, though 8th grade and community college teachers might
also benefit.
How can I be involved, whether or not I am formally
part of NITARP?
One of the teams in the original program started a wiki where we could share
all sorts of materials we developed. The next generation NITARP
project has inherited this wiki and will continue to
develop it. Even if you are not part of this program, you can check
out the resources on the wiki and learn how to play with Spitzer data
(and eventually other archive data) yourself!
How can I be involved, e.g., be a teacher who is part of NITARP?
The application deadline has now passed for a program to start in January 2010.
Check back here in Summer 2010 to see if we are able to solicit applications
for a program to start in January 2011.
Who participated before?
The teachers participating in the original program were:
Jeff Adkins, John Blackwell, Kareen Borders, Howard T. Chun, Lauren K.
Chapple, Harlan V. Devore, Velvet Dowdy, Cris DeWolf, Peter Guastella,
Rosa Hemphill, Ardis Herrold, Chelen H. Johnson, Virginia Jones,
Susan Kelly, Thomas Loughran, Anthony R. Maranto, Chris Martin, David
W. McDonald, Jeff Paradis, Vincent Pereira, Peter Pitman, Steve Rapp,
Theresa Roelofsen, John Schaefers, Babs Sepulveda, Linda Stefaniak,
Timothy S. Spuck, Dwight Taylor, Jen Tetler, Beth Thomas, Cynthia
Weehler and Lynne Zielinski. Here is a page with all
of their accomplishments as part of this program.
Support scientists included: Ranga-Ram Chary, Vandana Desai, John
Feldmeier, Rose Finn, Varoujan Gorjian, Don Hoard, Steve Howell, Mark
Lacy, Luisa M. Rebull, and Gregory Rudnick.
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